ONLY Wigan, Oxford and Accrington Stanley are yet to concede a league goal on their travels this season, and for former Blackburn Rovers defender Jon Bateson the early stages of the current campaign have been something of a contrast.

Bateson is expected to be in the starting line-up once more when unbeaten Stanley make the trip to second-placed Port Vale tomorrow and the right back, who turned 21 on Monday, has been part of a settled defence that have conceded just once in seven league games so far this term.

All three of Stanley’s away matches in League Two have finished 0-0, while Vale themselves have kept three consecutive clean sheets.

For Bateson, such an impressive start to life at the club he joined in the summer is somewhat different to the way he commenced last season – his only one and only campaign at Bradford City after leaving Blackburn.

“I got sent off on my debut,” recalls Bateson of his first appearance in senior football, in a Carling Cup tie against Nottingham Forest.

“It was a stupid tackle in the 89th minute – just a rush of blood, I don’t know what was going through my head.

“I had a three-game ban after that so it probably didn’t help me. I was in and out of the team. I’m glad to be here now and playing every week.”

At Stanley, Bateson has again linked up with fellow defender Dean Winnard, a friend since their days in the Blackburn Rovers under 10s. Vale also include two former Rovers players – Jemal Johnson and Marc Richards.

The Stoke outfit have been tipped for promotion but Bateson believes Stanley could be in the mix too, and he is keen to maintain the club’s record of not conceding away from home.

“We want to keep that going,” Bateson said. “We want to win the game but another clean sheet would be nice.

“Before the start of the season we thought we had a chance of promotion and if we carry on the way we’re going we’ve definitely got a chance.

“From a personal point of view I think I’m doing all right.

"At Blackburn there are that many good players and they are getting them in from abroad, so it is very hard to break into the first team.

But I’ve played all these games in the league now, so I’m buzzing.”